A gift for new parents - courtesy of the State

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Expecting parents are always excited, but can often get stressed out preparing for their upcoming new arrival. The Finnish government has an answer for its citizens, sending every new family a maternity package to help them ease into their new role.

The colorful box doubles as a crib, and contains a wide selection of baby clothes including a snowsuit, hats, socks, mittens, bodysuits, rompers, leggings and shirts.Considering the freezing temperatures in Finland's winters, there's a stack of blankets thrown in there too, along with some childcare products and a bib.The box has been a rite of passage for new parents since its inception in the 1930s, when it contained fabric for mothers to sew into clothes. Since then it has gone through a number of changes, from cloth to plastic diapers and back again, and the inclusion and subsequent exclusion of pacifiers.Other perks in the box include a rattle and a colorful, illustrated book - a boost of encouragement for parents to teach their children to read.The initiative aims to give all Finnish kids a fair and equal start in life, by providing them with the most essential needs: for body, mind and soul.